Pump



Feb. 5, 1957 1'. R. 'rHoREN Erm. 2,780,175

PUMP Filed March 17, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l UWFECTZZ'QT'E United States Patent O PUMP Theodore R. Thoren, Russell Township, Geauga County, and Richard L. Gates, Eastlake, Ohio, assignors to Thompson Products, Inc., Cleveland, hio, a corporation of Ohio Application March 17, 1951, Serial No. 216,154

14 Claims. (Cl. 103--97) This invention relates generally to improvements in centrifugal pumps and more particularly to a centrifugal pump of the type having a convergent throat formed in the radial passages of an impeller to exploit a centrifugal impelling force to create a combination of pumping actions.

Developments in the production of engines for automotive vehicles have emphasized the need of an improved automotive fuel pump which is capable of a relatively long life with little or no servicing between the vehicle overhaul period and which will enjoy a high dirt tolerance while meeting peak engine flow and pressure requirements over a wide range of fuel volatility and ternperature. lt is further required that such a pump be compact, easy to install and generally available at a relatively low cost.

According to the general principles of the present invention, a pump is provided which is essentially centrifugal in nature, however, an impeller is provided having a center opening therein and a passageway extending radially outwardly therefrom with a convergent throat formed along the length of the passageway. Inlet means are provided to the convergent throat and a substantially liquid fluid is introduced into the center chamber so that the centrifugal impelling action of the impeller will propel the fluid through the throat to draw a suction through the inlet means.

A particular feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a casing structure including a volute chamber for the impeller of the pump discharging into a separate standpipe cavity having an outlet formed in an elevated portion thereof with an inlet passageway communicating with the standpipe cavity to direct substantially liquid fluid to the center opening of the impeller.

By virtue of the arrangement thus provided, a positive suction will be drawn on the inlet means whether the fluid contained therein is liquid, vapor or air. Moreover, when vaporous fluids are drawn through the inlet means, the discharge of the pump will be deaerated in the standpipe chamber so that a substantially liquid recirculating lluid may be furnished to the center opening of the impeller.

A readily adjustable relief valve is also provided for the pump structure so that the pump output pressure may be selectively controlled to suit various operational requirements.

' It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an 'improved fuel pump which will enjoy a high dirt tolerance and which will exhibit an ability to meet peak engine flow and pressure requirements over a wide range of fuel volatility and temperature.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a fuel pump structure which is compact in assembly and which is fabricated from a reduced number of simplied elements and which can be manufactured at relatively low cost.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a fuel pump which will operate efficiently and which 2,780,175 -Patented Feb. 5, 1957 fice will draw a positive suction despite the physical status of the uid in the inlet lines of the pump.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved standpipe arrangement for a pump structure of the type to be described herein whereby a substantially liquid fluid may be recirculated to the impeller of the pump.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a fuel pump which will effectively handle vapor and air that may form on the inlet side of the fuel pump system and discharge same through the pump outlet connection along with the liquid fuel.

Many other features, advantages and additional objects of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description which follows and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment of a fuel pump incorporating the principles of our invention is shown.

On the drawings:

Figure l is a plan elevational view of a centrifugal pump embodying the principles of the present invention and with parts broken away to indicate additional details of construction;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view with parts shown in elevation taken substantially on line II-II of Fig. l;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view with parts removed and with parts shown in elevation `taken substantially on line III- III of Fig. 2;

Figure 4 is an elevational view of the upper component of the rotor impeller provided in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view with parts broken away and with parts shown in elevation showing the assembly of the upper deector plate in the pump assembly structure according to the present invention; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view with parts shown in elevation of a relief valve incorporated in the pump structure according to the present invention.

As shown on the drawings:

The pump of the present invention is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10 and includes a body 11 having a motor 12 mounted on the upper portion thereof and a cover 13 firmly assembled on the lower portion by a plurality of suitable fasteners 14, thereby to close an enlarged hollow cavity indicated generally by the reference numeral 16.

In'this preferred embodiment, the motor l2 comprises an electric motor which may be connected to a suitable source of energy by means of conductor wires 17. A power take-off shaft 18 protrudes outwardly from the motor 12 and is keyed in driving relationship to a rotor shaft 19 having a hollow tubular end portion 19a forming a bore 20.

The body 11 is provided with an enlarged boss portion 11a which extends inwardly into the cavity 16 to provide a journaling means for the rotor shaft 19. A lower bearing holder 21 fastened to the boss '11a by a plurality of screws 22 together with an upper bearing holder 23 biased downwardly by a coil spring 24 bottomed on a shoulder 26 formed within a bore 27 extending through the boss 1a supports and centers a bearing 2S arranged to journal the hollow tubular portion 19a of the rotor shaft 19 for rotation.

On the opposite side of the shoulder 26 is seated a spring pressed seal assembly indicated generally by the reference numeral 29 surrounding the rotor shaft 19 and abutted at the other end by a rotatable bushing seal 30.

On the end of the hollow tubular portion 19a of the rotor 19 is situated an impeller assembly 31 comprisweones f ing an upper element 32 connected to the shaft 19 and a lower lement 33, the elements being held in firm assembly with one another by a plurality of screws 34 or other suitable fasteners.

The elevational View of the abutment face of the upper impeller element 32 shown in Figure 4 will serve to indicate the details of construction thereof.

A centrally disposed enlarged recess 36 is provided and a passageway having a restricted or convergent throat formed therein extends radially outwardly from each side of the recess 36 to the opposite edges of the upper impeller element 32. More particularly, a passageway of reduced cross sectional area indicated by the reference numeral 37 extends from either side of the recess 36 and leads to a low pressure chamber 38, there being an impeller volute having a divergent ycontour leading away from each of the low pressure chambers 38.

The details of construction of the lower impeller element 33 will be clearly understood upon making reference to Figure 3 in connection with Figure 2. Au enlarged center recess 46 is provided and a passageway of reduced area 47 extends radially outwardly from opposite sides of the recess 46 to establish communication with a pair of low pressure chambers 48, each terminating in an impeller volute 49 of divergent configuration.

It will be understood that the radially extending passageways in both the upper and lower impeller elements 32 and 33 respectively are arranged to lie in registry with one another thereby forming a pair of impeller passageways each having a convergent throat to promote a venturi action, the enlarged recesses 36 and 46 forming a high pressure chamber, the passageways 37 and 47 forming the restricted throat and the chambers 38 and 48 forming the low pressure chambers.

The body 11 is provided with a second boss 11b and au inlet passageway 40 is provided to extend through the boss 11b and into the bore 27 of the boss 11a, thereby to establish inlet communication with the bore of the hollow tubular portion 19a of the rotor shaft 19 through inlet apertures 41 formed in the walls of the hollow tubular portion 19a. A ball check 42 is provided in the inlet passageway and a priming plug 43 is provided to normally close a priming opening 44 formed in the boss 1lb in communication with the inlet passageway 40 above the ball check 42.

A secondary flow inlet is provided in the upper impeller element 32 to establish communication between the bore 2t) and each of the low pressure chambers 38, thereby to provide inlet fluid to the convergent throats of the impeller assembly 31.

Referring further to Figures 2 and 3, it will be noted that the cover 13 is provided with an eccentrically shaped cavity forming a volute pumping chamber 51 for the impeller assembly 31. There is also formed in the cover 13 a generally U-shaped rib 52 which rises upwardly from the bottom wall of the cover 13. A lower deflector plate 53 lies across the top of the rib 52 and may be placed in firm assembly therewith by a plurality of screws 54 thereby to establish an inlet passageway 56. The cover 13 and the body 11 are provided with a protrusion as at 57 having formed therein a vertical recess 58 so that an end 53:1 turned over on the lower deflector plate 53 may together therewith form the mouth of the inlet passageway 56.

The lower impeller element 33 is provided with a hollow hub portion 59 which extends through 'an aperture formed in the lower deflector plate 53 to provide fluid flow communication between the inlet passageway 56 and the center recesses 36 and 46, respectively.

An upper dctlector plate 60 is also provided to separate thc volute chamber 51 from the enlarged cavity 16 formed in the body l1, T he upper dellector plate 60 comprises a generally annular disk having an upstanding conical portion terminating in the region of the bearing 28, the deflector plate 60 being notched as at 61 to receive the turned over end 53a of the lower deflector plate 53 and having an outlet opening 62 formed therein to establish flow communication between the volute charnber 51 and the enlarged cavity 16.

It will be noted that a substantial portion of the enlarged cavity 16 completely overlies the level of the volute chamber 51 and the inlet passage 56. An outlet 63 is formed in an upper portion of the body 11 so that the enlarged cavity 1.6 may function as a standpipe cavity to continually flood the inlet passageway 56 with a liquid fluid during the operation of the pump 10.

ln operation, fluid from the inlet passageway 56 will flow through the center recesses 36 and 46 and will be impelled centrifugally through the convergent throats to draw a suction at the secondary flow inlets 50 thereby to completely fill the flow pressure chambers 38 and 43 of the impeller assembly 31. The fluid will then be discharged radially outwardly through the impeller 1volutes 39 and 49 whereupon the fluid will flow through the outlet opening 62 in the upper decctor plate 6l) and into the standpipe cavity 16 for delivery to the pump -outlct 63.

One of the advantageous features of the pump structure thus far described is that any fluid introduced to the pump inlet passageway 49, whether vaporous, liquid or wholly air, will be positively drawn through the impeller assembly 31 because of the inlet suction produced by the high velocity jet through the convergent throats formed in the impeller elements 32 and 33. Thus, the pump is not only capable of sucking vaporous fluid or air through its inlet lines so as to ultimately draw a liquid fluid to the inlet but is able to dispose of any vapor which may form in the inlet lines under environmental operating conditions due to high fuel temperatures, high volatile fuel or a combination of such phenomenon.

The movement of the fluid through the outlet opening 62 of the upper deflector plate and the standpipe cavity 16 will also operate to develop a deaerating function so that the inlet passageway 56 may be continually flooded with a substantially liquid fluid to enhance the efficient operation of the pump.

ln order to meet the wide variety of pressure and flow requirements to which the pump assembly of the present invention may be subjected, a self-locking relief-valve indicated generally on Figure l by the reference numeral 4 is provided. The details of construction of the relief valve 64 are shown in Figure 6. A boss 66 having a bore 67 formed therein is provided with a reduced diameter opening 68 at one end and an enlarged counterbored step 69 at thc other end partially threaded to receive in threaded assembly therewith a retainer 70, The bore 67 is vented to the pump inlet as at 68a (Figure l).

An adjusting screw 71 is provided having a slotted head portion extending cxteriorly of the pump body 11.

The end of the screw 71 is provided with a hollow tubular portion to receive the stem of a valve 72 for control of the opening 63. The hollow tubular portion of the screw '71. is externally threaded to engage a complementally threaded spring retainer 73 bottoming a coil spring '74, the other end of the coil spring 74 engaging the valve 72 to normally urge the same into closing relationship relative to the opening 68.

An enlarged annular rib 76 is formed on the adjusting screw 71 and a ring of packing material 77 is situated between the rib 76 and the retainer 79 to establish a seal around the screw 7l and to assist in maintaining the screw 71 in selectively adjusted positions.

lt will be apparent that the readily accessible adjusting head of the screw 71 may be turned to vary the tension of thc spring 74 against which the valve 72 must be displaced and any selected adjustment of the screw 71 will be maintained in locked position by the coaction of the rib 76 together with the ring 77 and the retainer 70.

The pump structure described demonstrates the advantageous provision of a simplified assembly comprising a reduced number of inexpensive components, the entire casing structure, for example, consisting of the body 11 and the cover 13 which may be produced, by way of illustrative example, as die castings.

Although various minor structural modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that we wish to embody within the scope of this patent all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of our contribution to the art.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a pump assembly, a casing structure having a volute pumping chamber therein and a standpipe cavity adjacent thereto, an outlet for said casing structure being provided in said standpipe chamber above the level of said volute chamber, and upper defiector plate substantially separating the standpipe chamber from the volute chamber and having an opening therethrough to establish flow communication therebetween, a motor on said casing structure having a shaft extending into said volute chamber, a rotor impeller on the end of said shaft rotatable in said volute chamber, said rotor impeller having an er1- larged center opening therein and a passageway extending radially outwardly therefrom, said passageway having a restricted throat formed therein, inlet means forming an inlet through said casing structure, said shaft and said rotor to the restricted throat, and a lower deflector platel forming together with said casing structure a passageway from said standpipe chamber to the enlarged center opening, whereby the fluid flowing through sai-d center opening will be impelled centrifugally through said throat to draw a suction through said inlet means, the discharge of said rotor impeller being flowable through said upper deflector opening and into said standpipe cavity for delivery to said outlet.

2. In a pump assembly, a casing having an enlarged cavity therein, an impeller extending into said cavity and rotatable therein, an upper deector forming together with said casing a volute chamber around said impeller and a standpipe cavity adjacent thereto, said deector having an opening therethrough and said casing having an outlet spaced above the level of said deector, a lower deflector forming with said casing a fiow passage and communicating with said standpipe cavity at a point below the level of said outlet for continuous ooding thereof, said impeller having an enlarged center opening cornmunicating with said passageway, said impeller being further provided with a radially extending passageway to impel fluid from said center opening outwardly to said volute chamber, said passageway having a convergent throat therein and inlet means to the convergent throat, whereby vaporous fluids drawn through the inlet will be deaerated in said standpipe chamber and substantially liquid fluid will be recirculated to said center opening.

3. In a pump assembly, a casing comprising a body having an enlarged hollow cavity formed therein and a cover connected to said body and having a volute chamber formed therein, a motor on said body having a shaft extending into said cavity, an impeller on said shaft rotatable in said volute chamber, a lower deilector baffle between said impeller and the cover and together with the cover forming a passageway extending from said cav.- ity tothe center of the impeller, an upper4 deector separating said volute chamber from said cavity and having an opening therethrough 'establishing' flow communication between the volute chamber and the cavity, thereby to provide a standpipe cavity overlying said passageway and an outlet in said body spaced from the level of said passageway to insure flooding thereof.

Y. 4. A pump comprising a casing including a body and a cover connected thereto, a pumping chamber formed in said cover anda standpipe cavity formed in said body, a rst deector baiiie separating said standpipe cavity from said pumping chamber and having an outlet opening therein, a primary inlet passageway formed in said cover and arranged to communicate with said standpipe cavity,

a second deector separating said pumping chambery from said primary inlet passageway, a motor on said body having a shaft projecting into said body, a centrifugal impeller on said shaft rotatable in said pumping chamber to discharge fluid thereinto and having a restricted throat in a radially extending passageway thereof, means providing fluid communication between said primary inlet passageway and the center of said impeller, means providing a secondary flow passage to the radially extending passageway of said impeller and an outlet in said body above said outlet opening in said first deflector baffle to insure continual flooding of said primary inlet passageway, whereby a substantially liquid fuel will be impelledV centrifugally by said impeller to draw a suction through said secondary flow passage.

5. ln a centrifugal pump of the type having a central inlet centrifugal impeller formed with a radially extending passageway having a convergent throat along the length of the passageway and adapted to impel a substantially liquid fuel radially outwardly to draw a suction at the throat, the improvement of a casing including a body and a cover connected thereto, said cover having a volute chamber formed therein in which the impeller is adapted to be rotated to discharge into the volute chamber, said body having means providing an inlet for the impeller, a first deflector baflie between said body and said cover and together with said body forming a separate standpipe cavity in communication with the volute chamber, a second deector bame in said cover and together therewith forming an independent primary flow passage establishing communication between a lower portion of said standpipe cavity and Ithe center of said impeller, whereby a substantially liquid fluid will be supplied to the center of the impeller and the discharge of said impeller will be substantially deaerated in said standpipe cavity.

6. ln a vertical pump, a casing having a volute chamber and an enlarged cavity superjacent thereto, a motor on said casing having a centrifugal type impeller rotatable on a vertical axis in said volute chamber, means providing a bottom central inlet to said impeller, ba'le means cooperable with said casing and forming together therewith at the bottom thereof a separate passageway from said enlarged cavity to the center of said impeller, means providing a discharge opening between said volute chamber and said cavity, and said casing having a pump outlet above the level of said passageway to insure ooding of said impeller with substantially liquid Huid.

7. In a pump, a casing having a volute chamber formed in a lower portion thereof` and an enlarged cavity superjacent thereto, a motor on said casing having a centrifugal type impeller connected thereto and rotatable in said volute chamber, means providing an inlet at the center of said impeller, a first defiector baie in said casing forming together with said casing a separate passageway from said cavity above the level of said impeller to the center of Vsaid impeller, and a second defiector baftie in said casing separating said cavity from said volute chamber and having an opening therethrough to discharge fluid from said volute chamber into said cavity, said casing having a pump outlet above the level of said first and second baffles to insure a supply of substantially liquid fluid to the separate passageway and the center of said impeller.

8. In a self-priming pump, the improvement of a casing having an impeller rotatable therein and adapted to deliver pressurized fluid thereto and a relief valve, said relief valve comprising, means providing a passageway to establish flow communication between the discharge of the pump and the inlet of the pump and having an opening formed along the length of said passageway, a valve in control of said passageway, a plug closing said opening and consisting of an adjusting screw having a hollow tubular portion slidably receiving said valve, said screw bengexternally threaded, a spring retainer threade'dly ad-v justable on said adjusting screw, a spring between said valve and said spring retainer and means bottoming said adjusting screw, said adjusting screw including ahead portion extending extcriorly through said bottoming means, whereby the tension on said spring may be selectively adjusted by turning said screw.

9. ln a self-priming pump, the improvement of a casing having an impeller rotatable therein and adapted to deliver pressurized uid thereto and a relief valve, said relief valve comprising, means providing a passageway to establish llow communicating between the discharge of the pump and the inlet of the pump, means forming au opening in said passageway, a plug for closing said opening consisting of an externally threaded adjusting screw having a recess in one end thereof, a valve in control of said passageway slidably received in said recess, a spring retainer threadedly adjustable on said adjusting screw, a spring between said valve and said spring retainer and means bottoming said adjusting screw, said adjusting screw including a head portion extending exteriorly through said bottoming means, whereby the tension on said spring may be selectively adjusted by turning said screw, and a gasket between said bottoming means and said adjusting screw to frictionally retain said adjusting screw in selected adjusted position.

l0. In a pump, a casing including a body and a cover connected thereto and together enclosing a cavity formed thereby, said cover having a pumping chamber formed therein at the bottom of said cavity, a center inlet centrifugal impeller rotatable in said casing to discharge into said pumping chamber, means supplying inlet fluid to said impeller, said body having a standpipe chamber formed therein in the upper partof said cavity above the pumping chamber to receive iluid from the pumping chamber, a dellector baille in said cavity separating the pumping chamber from the standpipc chamber, a second deflector bale in the cavity forming together with said cover an independent passageway at the bottom of said cavity adjacent said pumping chamber and arranged to establish flooding of said impeller with fluid from said standpipe cavity, and means forming an outlet in a portion of said body spaced above said passageway to insure continual llooding of the passageway.

ll. In an automotive fuel pump, a two piece casing comprising a body and a cover connected thereto and together forming a cavity, said cover having a volute chamber formed therein adapted to receive an impeller, means providing a center inlet for the impeller, a dellector baille between said body and said cover and together with said body partitioning said cavity to form a standpipe cavity superjacent the volute chamber, a second deflector baille forming together with said cover an independent passageway running adjacent and below said volute chamber at the bottom of said cavity and arranged to ilood the center of said impeller with iluid from said standpipe cavity, and means forming an outlet in a portion of said body spaced above said passage to insure continual flooding thereof.

12. ln a vertical centrifugal pump, a center bottom inlet rotary centrifugal impeller, means supplying inlet lluid thereto, a casing providing a volute chamber for said impeller and an independent passageway adjacent thereto communicating with the center of the impeller, said casing also providing a standpipe cavity, said volute pumping chamber having a discharge opening into saidk cavity and said independent passageway having an opening into said cavity above the level of the center of said impeller, said standpipe cavity having a pump outlet higher than said openings, whereby said standpipe cavity receives at least a portion of the discharge of said impeller and communicates with said independent passageway to continuously ilood the impeller with iluid from the standpipe cavity.

13. In a pump assembly, a casing structure having a volute pumping chamber therein and a standpipe cavity adjacent thereto, an outlet-for said casing structure being provided in said standpipe chamber above the level of said volute chamber, an upper deflector plate substantally separating the standpipe chamber from the volute chamber and having an opening therethrough to establish ow communication therebetween, a motor on said casing structure having a shaft extending into said volute chamber, a rotor impeller on the end of said shaft rotatable in said volute chamber, said rotor impeller having an enlarged center opening therein and a passageway extending radially outwardly therefrom, said passageway having a restricted throat formed therein, inlet means forming an inlet through said casing structure, said shaft and said rotor to the restricted throat, a lower dellector plate forming together with said casing structure a passageway from said standpipe chamber to the enlarged center opening, whereby the fluid flowing through said center opening will be impelled centrifugally through said throat to draw a suction through said inlet means, the discharge of said rotor impeller being ilowable through said upper dellector opening and into said standpipe cavity for delivery to said outlet, means forming a passageway between said standpipe cavity and said inlet means, a valve in control of said passageway, an opening in said casing structure at said valve, a plug in said opening consisting of an adjusting screw having a hollow tubular portion slidably receiving said valve, said screw being externally threaded, a spring retainer threadedly adjustable on said adjusting screw, a spring between said valve and said spring retainer and means bottoming said adjusting screw, said adjusting screw including a head portion extending exteriorly of said casing structure through said bottoming means, whereby the tension on said spring may be selectively adjusted by turning said screw from the outside of said pump.

14. A pump comprising a casing including a body and a cover connected thereto, a pumping chamber formed in said cover and a standpipe cavity formed in said body, a first dellector baille separating said standpipe cavity from said pumping chamber and having an outlet opening therein, a primary inlet passageway formed in said cover and arranged to communicate with said standpipe cavity, a second deilector separating said pumping chamber' from said primary inlet passageway, a motor on said body having a shaft projecting into said body, a centrifugal impeller on said shaft rotatable in said pumping chamber to discharge tluid thereinto and having a restricted throat in a radially extending passageway thereof, means providing fluid communication between said primary inlet passageway and the center of said impeller, means providing a secondary flow passage to the radially extending passageway of said impeller, an outlet in said body above said outlet opening in said first dellector baille to insure continual llooding of said primary inlet passageway, whereby substantially liquid fuel will be impelled centrifugally by said impeller to draw a suction through said secondary flow passage, means forming a passageway between said standpipe cavity and said secondary flow passage, a relief valve in control of said passageway, an opening in said casing opposite said relief valve, a plug for closing said opening consisting of an externally threaded adjusting screw having a recess in one thereof, said valve being slidably received in said recess, a spring retainer threadedly adjustable on said adjusting screw, a spring between said valve and said spring rctainer and means bottoming said adjustnig screw, said adjusting screw including a head portion extending exteriorly of said pump through said bottoming means, whereby the tension on said spring may be selectively adjusted from the outside of said pump by turning said screw, and a gasket between said bottoming means and said adjusting screw to frictionally retain adjusting screw in selected adjusted position.

(References on following page) References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hutchinson July 2, Perkins June 16, Goth Feb. 2, Osborn Oct. 14, Willson July 3, Huber Aug. 27, La Bour Aug. 11,

10 Curtis Aug. 11, 1942 Schlosser Sept. 1, 1942 La Bour Sept. 29, 1942 Stratton Oct. 26, 1943 Moody July 31, 1945 Parsons Jan, 22, 1946 Ingersoll Apr. 30, 1946 Bower Dec. 7, 1948 Mann Feb. 10, 1953 

